The Faceless Musician
by Essence of Soup
Summary: Alice didn't understand him, this faceless man. Yet he spoke as though he understood more then he should, maybe even went through it. What was he telling her? Did the words he sang have a hidden message in them? AlicexFaceless, sort of.


The Faceless Musician

:::

Alice wandered through the circus, the sights, sounds and laughter around her. She almost felt out of place among the faceless crowds who, upon seeing her made room as the whispered excitably as she passed.

"You seem lost milady." A baritone voice spoke. Turning Alice say a faceless man sitting against a post, a key board on his lap.

"I'm not lost." Alice muttered, though he heard her.

"Just don't know where to go. I on the other hand, am lost." He said, smiling understandingly. Alice frowned, glaring as the whispers around her got louder.

The man stood up, giving her a bow. "Forgive me. I meant it not as a jest, dear maiden."

Alice, taken aback by his manners, replied. "I wasn't mad at you! It's just that, well…" Alice trailed off, glaring once more at the spectators.

"Milady seems agitated by the little people."

"It's just annoying, getting stared at like I'm some sort of specimen." Alice replied.

"They tend to get that way around a foreigner, but don't let it bother you, Lady Alice."

"Uh, yeah. Easier said then done. By the way who are you and how do you know my name?" Alice asked, looking him over.

He was dressed in bright colors, his clothing tasteful yet looked out of place among the performers around him, like he didn't belong. His hair was ebon black, long enough to be in a hair tie.

"I'm just a humble musician of Joker's Circus, milady. Nothing more. as for knowing your name, well, you are the only known foregner." the Faceless man said with flourish.

"So you just sing?" Alice asked, ignoring the whispers behind her. Couldn't they take a break?

"No, I do much more. Would milady wish to hear one?"

"Um sure?" Alice said, unsure.

The Musician smiled as he began to play on his key board, the others playing as well. Soon the air was filled with a hypnotically beautiful yet haunting melody. Alice was lost in the music; the world around her disappeared as the tune enveloped her in the tranquil song.

Then the Faceless Musician sang:

Hey Alice,  
Where's your wonderland  
Now that you're back on Earth?  
How does it look  
Now you've left it behind  
And crossed the stepping stones?  
Hey Alice,  
Is it greener here?  
Or does it seem like dirt?  
Does it feel the same?  
Can you say that you  
Are happy to be home?

The rabbit  
Seems to call your name.  
You're late!  
So it's time to move.  
Oh Alice,  
You know it's your fate.  
Tick, Tock,  
No time to lose.

Did the mushrooms make you grow?  
Did the flowers say hello?  
Would Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee  
Care to sing a song for me?  
Did you like your Unbirthday?  
Did the Cheshire Cat smile you way?  
Can you tell a raven from a writing desk?  
Was the Hatter's tea the best?  
Did you do as the Queen asked?  
Did you see through the looking glass?

Hey Alice,  
Do you want to play?  
The Queen's great!  
(Or so it's been said.)  
Hey Alice,  
Can you play croquet?  
If you're good, you can keep your head!

Did the mushrooms make you grow?  
Did the flowers say hello?  
Would Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee  
Care to sing a song for me?  
Did you like your Unbirthday?  
Did the Cheshire Cat smile you way?  
Can you tell a raven from a writing desk?  
Was the Hatter's tea the best?  
Did you do as the Queen asked?  
Did you see through the looking glass?

Hey Alice,  
Are you here or there  
Or somewhere in between?  
Hey Alice,  
Would you ever dare  
To go back through where you've been?  
Hey Alice,  
Time is running short!  
This can't take too long.  
Make a choice now.  
On which side of the door  
Do you feel you belong?

The rabbit  
Seems to call your name.  
You're late!  
So it's time to move.  
Oh Alice,  
You know it's your fate.  
Tick, Tock,  
No time to lose!

Did the mushrooms make you grow?  
Did the flowers say hello?  
Would Tweedle Dum and Tweedle Dee  
Care to sing a song for me?  
Did you like your Unbirthday?  
Did the Cheshire Cat smile you way?  
Can you tell a raven from a writing desk?  
Was the Hatter's tea the best?  
Did you do as the Queen asked?  
Did you see through the looking glass?

The rabbit  
Seems to call your name.  
You're late!  
So it's time to move.  
Oh Alice,  
You know it's your fate.  
Tick, Tock,  
No time to lose!

The music slowly died, an echo of it's rendition floating in the air. Alice smiled.

"That was beautiful."

"Yes, but did you find the message milady?" Musician asked with a smile.

"Message?"

"Yes. Every song has a message, hidden in the wording."

Alice thought about it. What was his message then?

"It sounded like you were…asking if I called this place home, or if I still wanted to go back to where I'm from."

Musician continued to smile. "Possibly. But while you unravel my question, may I request something?"

"Um, what?"

"May I kiss you?"

That unrailed Alice thought process. First he was giving her encrypted riddles now asking for kisses?

"Please understand milady. It'll be a kiss and only a kiss, for to ask for more would be ungrateful. I am just a faceless man without even a name to address myself with, and know any sort of relationship with you will likely result in a bullet through my heart. Besides, this may be the last day I'll ever see you."

Alice blinked. True, she knew over a dozen men (and one woman) who would kill him if he were to date her. And who knew when she'd ever see him again? Lives were not valued here so he could get killed at any moment. Thinking that, Alice gave a hesitant nod.

Musician smiled wider before leaning towards her, his lips brushing hers. It was an innocent kiss, the kind shy couples gave, but for some reason she felt as though her whole body had been lit aflame.

As quickly as it had happen, the Musician pulled back. Alice tried not to feel disappointed at it ending.

"Thank you milady."

Alice gave a yelp of surprised when he embraced her, causing her to flush.

"Don't stay lost like me." He whispered. Alice didn't understand that at all. What was he saying? Alice blushed a deeper shade as she realized just how close they were. She could hear each breath he took, every movement, heck she could hear his heartbeat!

…wait, _heartbeat_?

"What's going on here?" a bored voice said though it still caused a chill to go down Alice's spine.

Joker stood near by, leaning against the post, looking mused.

"I was simply thanking Lady Alice for listening to the song I composed Lord Joker." Musician said amiably as he let the young foreigner go.

Turning to Alice he spoke. "Forgive me milady, but my time runs short."

The Musician took Alice's hand, kissing it gently. Alice felt something get pressed into her palm. Musician smiled one last time.

"May fate grace me with your presence again, milady."

Musician let go, wandering into the crowd, Jokers glaring into his back. Afraid Joker might hunt him down and abstract retribution, Alice spoke.

"Your musician did nothing wrong, he only played a song for me!"

Joker looked at her in surprise before speaking, "He's not mine."

Alice blinked. "What?"

"He's not mine. I don't have a musician like that." Joker said as he narrowed his eye.

Then why did he say he was part of Joker's circus? Before she could think any further, Peter glomped her, gushing with joy to see her. Alice wasn't as adverse to see him, since she did not want to be with the Joker longer then necessary. Bidding Joker a quick goodbye, Alice wandered into the crowd with Peter.

What was in the song? Why did the Musician lied? But most importantly, why did he have a heartbeat instead of a ticking?

Remembering the item musician had put in her hand, Alice looked.

It was a simple piece of paper, with letters.

The note read;

_Are you here or there or somewhere in between? Would you ever dare to go back through where you've been?  
Time is running short, make a choice now.  
On which side of the door do you feel you belong?_

* * *

This was the result of watching several different ending on Joker no kuni no Alice. After watching them, my friend said, "What happens to the foreigners who get trapped in Joker's prison?"

If you know the basic plot of Joker no kuni no Alice, you know that Joker wants Alice to stay lost, so she can be trapped in his prison. Well my theory is if a foreigner stays lost and does not call any place home, he/she starts to forget his past (except that at one time he/she was a foreigner), their names and face. Eventually they get so lost they disappear.

Well this was the idea that one of those previous foreigner's had found Alice and was warning her to either go back home or find her place in this world, or she would become lost like him.

Couple with this song it just struck me as a viable story. Weird I know.

As for the song, I wish I could take credit for making it, but I can't. I am no where near that creative.

If you go to youtube, you can find it under 'Hey Alice' by **RachMacwhirter. **She made the video, wrote and sung the song.

Please review!


End file.
